Shelter You
by DreamingOfNeverland
Summary: They had a new family, and she had a her own little family in Emmett. But, even with the addition of other brothers and sisters Edward and Genevieve were siblings by blood and nothing was going to change that. So, now with Edward struggling through a new battle concerning his morals and even love, Gen is determined to help and shelter him. (Round and Round sequel)
1. Chapter 1

It had been one hundred and six years since I was born to a loving couple by the name of Elizabeth and Edward Masen only to be joined by a little brother two years later; eighty seven years since we died and both I and my brother were reborn to family, which would grow large through the years thanks to our second father, Carlisle Cullen; seventy years since I learned to live again. Now, with the times having changed a lot over these hundred and six years, it was time for another change which would either destroy us as a family or make us stronger.

oOo

"It's eight hours, that means you'll have eight hours to form a plan to beat him," I groaned back to my wonderful husband of 66 years, which was also being slightly annoying right now since Jasper beat him at wrestling.

"Your right," He sighed and leaned in for a kiss which I gladly gave him.

Shaking my head slightly, I turned back to pick out an outfit for yet another day in hell. Actually, not hell, I would imagine that hell would have something going on and wouldn't be mind-numbingly boring. Pulling off the shirt and pants that I had worn throughout the night, I changed into a grey, simple, button up shirt dress.

"The new girl is coming today," Alice announced to the whole house and I glanced over to Emmett in a bit of confusion as I pulled on a pair of navy tights.

"Why would we care?" Rose shot back from her room below, which all of us were thinking though we wouldn't exactly say it. I mean the whole school had been buzzing about Isabella Swan transferring here from Phoenix to live with her father, because what else was everyone going to talk about in Forks Washington after talking about us became old news a year ago, but it wasn't really a priority to us.

"It's exciting," Alice responded and giving another shake of the head I grabbed a thin, dark silver belt and matching heeled oxfords.

"What is so exciting about a human?" Rose scoffed but Alice didn't reply this time, all she did was leave the knowing silence in the air that told us all she knew something that we didn't. There wasn't even the small snicker from Edward next door that usually accompanied it, meaning that she was keeping a secret even from him.

"Kids, hurry up or you're going to be late," Esme called from her study. Giving an eye roll, because it wasn't like being late was a horrible thing, I zipped into a supposedly shared bathroom, but Edward and Emmett basically left it for me and quickly styled my curled bronze hair up into a ponytail. Moving back out to my jewelry box, I pulled a few face framing strands loose so it had that stylishly messy feeling before putting on my signature pieces of jewelry; my Cullen locket, my mother's garnet and diamond flower ring, and my first engagement ring from Emmett.

"Do you not like the other one?" Emmett questioned as he watched me from the bed and I looked to the square cut 2.5 carat ring which was more modern than the 0.15 carat ring I now had on, though he had done perfect with the gift for out 50th wedding anniversary because it still had that vintage feeling to it.

"No, I love it," I smiled and walked over to him. I had liked everything about that day actually, down to the five month long trip to Tuscany where my other present was in the shape of our own private villa. "It's just this is the first one you gave me," I explained and giving his own careless smirk, he reached forward and grabbed the back of my thighs, pulling me into his lap. Shifting around, I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and leaned in teasingly placing my lips just in front his but not enough to touch.

Playing back he got a daring smirk and slipped his hands down over my dress to my legs and pressed his fingers against them, threatening to shred the tights which I had just bought with Alice, Rosalie, Esme on out recent shopping trip in Seattle over the Christmas break. "Don't you dare," I whispered, narrowing my eyes to him.

"Don't either of you," Edward spoke and pushed open the door, causing us both to look to him. "We have to go." Turning back to Emmett with a small grin, I pressed a soft kiss to his lips before standing back up and all three of us moved down the steps to the second floor where Rosalie, Noah, Alice, and Jasper joined our line. It was almost like a line of inmates heading back towards lock up after two days of pure freedom.

"Have fun," Esme called as we entered the garage and split up into the two most inconspicuous cars we had: Edwards S60R and my Cobalt SS. Sliding into the front with Rosalie while Emmett and Noah settled into the back I set off first down the road with Edward behind.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot I began my daily count down, the only slight bit of the day that I liked was art second period. It gave me the small break from the horror of Calculus I had been submitted to, but then I was stuck with more monotony for two more periods in the shape of French, then chemistry. Lunch provided a little break once again, though not much before I headed off to gym and finally my day was ended with English. At least I got to spend my whole amount of tedium with someone that understood: Calculus being with Edward, French being with Rosalie, Chemistry with Jasper, Gym with Emmett, and English with Noah, because there were five of us playing at seniors and Edward just felt the need to place into algebra 2 freshman year.

Today seemed especially worse though as I settled down beside Jasper in Chemistry. It had obviously been far too long since we hunted and I was only noticing it now as looked to his unmoving state. I put myself on edge as the class started, ready to flip into that compelling mode should I need to because a whispered, imbedded thought wasn't going to make him turn the other way now should it happen. I would need to make him my puppet and I could tell that he was reading that off my emotions as he attempted to loosen up from the coiled up position.

As we set up for our experiment to do with density of metals, I leaned forward and popped the window in front of our station open slightly so that a steady flow of fresh air could come in but not enough for others to notice and watched him loosen up a little more.

Soon enough the bell rang and we were set free for lunch. Meeting up with Alice at the doors, the three of us filed through the line to get our props before moving towards the table we had claimed three years ago and not a single person dared to sit at now. It was perfect in reason, being the furthest from the crowd, with a constant stream of air from either the air conditioning or heat, but every once in a while it could be a bad thing as it was today.

We had almost made it through, I had arranged my premade salad into a piece of artwork which now looked like a garden scene, complete with a carrot and broccoli person, a lettuce tree, rolling hills and a dressing lake, and was on to counting the holes in the ceiling tiles as I sat with my legs propped up on Emmett's. Just then it washed over our table, the scent that made my mouth fill with venom and I tensed slightly not for myself but because I was acutely aware of how Jasper was feeling from Chemistry. And, while I kept my eyes on the 2,522nd dot in the ceiling tile, I shifted my focus to Edward who would give me my first clue should Jasper give in.

Instead he gave a kick to Jasper's chair and the tension at the table immediately broke. "Sorry," He muttered shamefully and Edward gave a shrug.

"You weren't going to do anything," Alice murmured. "I could see that." I ignored the slight twitch in the corner of Edward's mouth, hiding the lie and just continued counting. "It helps a little if you think of them as people," Alice suggested as she talked about the unknowing girl a few steps away. "Her name is Whitney. She has a baby sister she adores. Her mother invited Esme to that garden party, do you remember?"

"I know who she is," Jasper replied curtly, the tone ending the conversation as Alice gave a knowing sigh and stood to leave.

"Jessica Stanley is giving the new Swan girl all the dirty laundry on the Cullen clan," Edward murmured and curiously I glance out of the corner of my eye to the table with the annoying girl and then the new face which had caused a sort of disturbance in the boring school: Isabella, or Bella as people were now calling her. Flipping my eyes to my tray, I grabbed the unpeeled orange and started rolling it around as I tuned into the conversation.

"They are…very nice-looking," Bella spoke.

"Yes!" Jessica answered with a giggle. "They're all together though," she said in criticism, though I'm sure if her crush on Edward had panned out she wouldn't have minded. Next to me, I heard the small, almost inaudible, scoffing laugh from my brother as I continued listening. "Noah and Rosalie, Emmett and Genevieve, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they live together.

"Which ones are the Cullens?" Bella asked. "They all don't look related…"

"Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young in his twenties or early thirties. They're all siblings, the Cullen's were adopted, and then the Hales and Masens are foster children."

"They look a little old for foster children," Bella spoke.

"They are now, Jasper and Rosalie—the blondes—are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that. And the Masens were taken in when they twelve and thirteen." Jessica retold our very complex story of the young couple that continued to take in siblings that no one else wanted, first in the two twin boys and their younger sister, then of Esme's niece and nephew whose parents had died, and finally Edward and I who had been shuffled around all our lives in Alaska before the wonderful couple took us in.

"That's really kind of nice—for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything," Bella reasoned kindly.

"I guess so," Jessica relented reluctantly. "I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have any kids, though," She added and I pursed my lips slightly in annoyance of the attention seeking girl.

"Have they always lived in Forks?" Bella asked on to receive a scoffed out 'no' from Jessica.

"They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska," She filled in.

"Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair?" Bella asked and I glanced to Edward to see him staring at her in frustration. Furrowing my brow in confusion I listened to Jessica's response which continued to hold the anger of her unrequited crush. Hitting the toe of my shoe on his leg, I mentally told him to stop staring and he turned away with a small smile to Jessica's comment but I could tell there was something else which earned me a small quick glance before I continued my counting but noticed him look back over to her.

"Shall we?" Rosalie murmured after another pause and I turned back to the table, dropping my feet from Emmett's lap.

"So, is the new one afraid of us yet?" Emmett asked but only received a shrug as we all stood up. Feeling that he didn't exactly want to talk about it, I just gave a look to the shrugged response and weird behavior as we all started out.

Veering off into separate directions, Emmett and I headed towards the gym where I was going to have to try and keep him from popping the volleyball ball in frustration. After changing into the wonderful shorts and t-shirt combo, I walked back into the gym waiting for him to come in from changing as well, but my thoughts drifted over to how weird Edward had acted during those few moments at lunch.

Suffering in the back of the line of the volleyball group, I put almost no effort into moving, same as Emmett but continued putting our team to the top of the 'fun' class competition, even while missing shots here and there for appearance. It was the only time that they had actually enjoyed being around us. Then with that over I changed back into my clothing, said goodbye to Emmett and headed off to English with Noah, both of us sitting in the back and doing little else but counting down until the last bell, though once again I felt like something was wrong. Actually I knew something was off with Edward, it was a nagging feeling that grew even as I walked out to the car with Noah and he wasn't there with Emmett.

"Here," I tossed the keys to Rosalie, "I'm gonna ride back with them."

With a shrug she slid into the driver's seat, followed by Noah going into the passenger's seat while Emmett gave me a look. "I'll see you at home," I gave him a small smile and nod. Giving a small frown, he nodded, knowing that something was up, but also knowing me so he slid into the back seat and they took off towards home.

Both Alice and Jasper slid into the back seat, waiting, but I stood outside and watched as he raced out of the school and into the parking lot, like he was running from it and as we both slid into the car I was sure of it.

"Edward?" Alice questioned in alarm as I just looked at him for a minute while he tried to take in deep, controlled breaths.

"What is going on?" I inquired softly, but he didn't answer and just threw the car in reverse. He tore out of the parking lot and onto the road, hitting seventy. Turning in my seat, I looked to Alice, wanting an answer right now and she scanned the future with both Jasper and my eyes on here.

"You're leaving?" She suddenly whispered coming back to the present and a little hurt, but mostly worried I looked back to my brother.

"Am I?" He hissed, trying to control something which I still didn't understand.

"Why?" I demanded, if he needed to leave then alright. He could leave but I wasn't about to be left without an explanation.

"Oh," Alice spoke from behind me and I looked back to see surprise on her pixie-like face. "Oh…" she repeated sadly and I looked back to Edward as the vision filtered directly into his mind and you could see the pressure building.

"Stop!" He groaned, reaching his limit, his fingers curling a little tighter around the steering wheel.

"Sorry," She whispered in return with wide eyes which then went blank again as the vision shifted. "I'll miss you. No matter how short a time you're gone." Anxiously I looked between them as my frustration built. "Drop us here," Alice offered as he approached the long drive that went up to our house. "You should tell Carlisle yourself." He gave a nod and forced the car into a squealing stop, and Jasper slid out.

"You will do the right thing," Alice murmured as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "She's Charlie Swan's only family. It would kill him, too."

All of a sudden it all made sense as she slid out having given enough of a clue and I leaned over and gave him a one armed hug. "Remember who you are," I whispered just above a breath and felt him return the hug before pulling back with a pointed look. With that I slid out to join Alice and Jasper and took off into the woods with the sound of the Volvo tearing back towards Forks.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning the house seemed quieter than usual as I got dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a light pink lace peplum top. Leaving my hair down, I just added a slouch knit cap which I had clipped my old dragonfly pin to. The night hadn't been filled with much after Carlisle came home in the Volvo except for a hunting trip and that didn't occupy much of the silent night. Stepping back into the closet where Emmett was getting dressed, I grabbed a pair of wedges, slipping them on right as a hand took my arm. Unable to hide it, I just frowned up at him and he pulled me into a much needed hug.

"I'm sure he'll be back before the week, ends," He assured in a whisper and I gave a small nod as I pulled back, but I didn't know if I wanted him to come back. He had left because of this Swan girl, because her blood called to him just like that one woman had called to Emmett and while just he had been younger and more inexperienced that Edward was it wasn't normal. And, after seeing how it affected him, I didn't want him to have to go through that every single day. Yes, I hoped my brother came back and I was sad with how he left, but I didn't want him to punish himself to hold up this high school/family thing.

Letting out a sigh, I grabbed my olive blazer off the hanger and we both set off down stairs to wait for the others. Before ten minutes passed we were out in the garage and heading towards the school with me driving my car and Alice the Volvo.

As we pulled into the parking lot, we all headed off towards our classes except for me, as I headed to the office. Greeting Mrs. Cope with a smile, I worked my specific version of charm as I handed her the note which Esme had signed. "Edward won't be in for a few days," I explained.

"Oh, what is the problem?" She questioned as she looked to it.

"He's not feeling well, just mark it down…please," without question she opened up the program and began typing, all to easily falling into the suggestion, because I didn't feel like explaining it anymore.

The day passed slower than usual, especially the start where I didn't have Edward to have silent and drawn conversation with, along with working to aggravate Mr. Varner by always getting the 'surprise' questions right. Then lunch came and I had to work to not irrationally glare at the girl who had unknowingly done this, as she kept looking over to us. By the end of the day, we all moved out of the building, ready to go home as there was a vicious assault on the senses of everyone in the parking lot. For the first time we all looked to her, in the faded red truck that was making the racket. Frowning, I shared a look with Emmett before sliding into the driver's seat.

For a week it passed like that, with really nothing but also everything being different since one of us was gone, then came Sunday afternoon as I was playing chess with Emmett, and gladly winning. "He's coming back!" Alice literally shouted across the house so loud that a human could have heard her in the back yard. Though, I couldn't really comment on her overenthusiasm as I launched across the five boards between us and hugged Emmett tightly around the neck at the relief that he was coming home.

By that morning he was home and we were all once again falling into that comfortable rhythm, even enjoying a small snowball fight with the fresh fall. But, I kept an eye on Edward, not because I was worried about control per say but about his lack of response to the three guys attacking him, which he normally would join right in on. He just wasn't really there, too nervous to concentrate on anything else, which sort of created a domino effect with all of us and amounted to the extent of vigilance that we were giving as we entered the lunch room.

"It's going to be okay," Alice breathed, with her eyes focused in the future with Jasper guiding her as we walked towards our table. Emmett and Noah lead us with Rose and I following behind, tense and ready to react no matter how much it bugged Edward, though Rose was more pissed that worried about something happening.

"Of course it is," He grumbled.

"She's not here yet, but the way she's going to come in…she won't be downwind if we sit in our regular spot," Alice warned despite his grumbles.

"Of course we'll sit in our regular spot," He sighed. "Stop it, Alice. You're getting on my nerves. I'll be absolutely fine." She blinked coming back to the present as Jasper helped her sit down.

"Hmm," She hummed, sounding surprised. "I think you're right."

"Of course I am," he muttered right back as he sat down and I took the chair beside. Letting out a small, half smile to Edward I propped my boots up on the legs of Emmett's chair as he leaned back and placed a hand on my knee and we all settled, going into our normal bored silence. Unable to help it I kept an eye on Edward, noting how tense he looked, he didn't even give the illusion of breathing as he sifted through the thoughts something we had been worried about slightly after the retelling of his last biology class with Bella.

"Anything new?" I asked as I cut the pieces of celery on my tray into thin slices with my manicured fingernail.

"Nothing. She…must not have said anything," He answered curiously and we all glanced over, sharing a bit of shock.

"Maybe you're not as scary as you think you are," Emmett taunted with a chuckle. "I bet I could have frightened her better than that." Both Edward and I rolled our eyes at that and I hit him slightly with the toe of my shoe.

"Wonder why…?" Noah questioned, alluding to the Bella's unique ability to keep him out of her head, an ability we all strived for.

"We've been over that. I don't know," Edward answered pointedly.

"She's coming in," Alice murmured, breaking that bout of tension and switching to a whole new one. "Try to look human."

"Human, you say?" Emmett asked and I saw both him and Noah get identical smirks before raising their fists and revealing two snowballs in their palms. They squeezed their fists and eyed Jasper who had been on the other side of their attacks and vice versa all morning. But then suddenly they threw the ice balls at Alice. Casually she raised her hand, flicking them away so they flew across the cafeteria and cracked the brick wall. The people in the corner turned and just looked to the crumbles of broken ice, all of it having passed to quickly for their eyes.

"Very human you two," Rose said harshly as I pursed my lips to the brothers.

"Why don't you both punch through the wall while you're at it?" I added, narrowing my eyes to Emmett.

"It would look more impressive if you did it, honey," he replied, squeezing my knee gently and I rolled my eyes at him but couldn't stop the small grin from showing. With small grins from everyone, I once again glanced to Edward along with the rest and watched as he looked to the lunch line where all of us were aware of her making her way through. Slowly his grin turned to a horrible form of it, so he looked more pained and even sick than happy. With a laugh, and most likely thought from Emmett though, he looked away and switched it back to the effortless grin.

Out of the corner of my eye, with the rest of them I watched as she moved to a table with her new friends, Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton which thankfully wasn't downwind like Alice had predicted. Just then Alice, who had been keeping an eye on the future, elbowed Edward and I watched as he tensed even more.

"Ease up, Edward," Emmett sighed. "Honestly. So you kill one human. That's hardly the end of the world."

"You would know," Edward murmured as I once against hit the toe of my shoe against Emmett's leg, actually moving him this time as a warning to try and rein in the blunt statements.

He laughed, sliding his hand down onto my thigh slightly, squeezing it gently and I narrowed my eyes to him. "You've got to learn to get over things. Like I do. Eternity is a long time to wallow in guilt." Just then I saw Alice raise her hand and seconds later I was splashed with ice as a handful hit Emmett on the face, just as another hit Noah.

"Alice!" I giggled as I wiped at my face and shirt.

"You asked for it," Emmett leaned forward, across the table and shook the ice out of his dark curls towards her. Noah soon joined as I pulled my blazer up to shield my face from the spray over the table.

"Ew!" Rose complained as we all let out laughs, and Alice held up her tray for a shield. Whipping off a puddle from the table, I flicked some at Edward, to help keep up the perfectly orchestrated human event and playing along he retaliated by doing the same, but I raised my jacket to block it as Emmett plopped back into his chair. Propping my feet back up on the chair I listened into the conversation between Bella and Jessica to see if the ploy had worked and just caught her voice above the other babble. "He doesn't look angry, does he?" She questioned and my worry increased slightly, because that meant she had noticed something.

"No," Jessica answered. "Should he be?"

"I don't think he likes me," Bella whispered.

"The Cullens don't like anybody," Jessica reassured her, though she wished, I'm sure. "Well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them. But he's still staring at you."

"Stop looking at him," Bella said impatiently.

'_You stop staring at her,_' I shot to Edward along with a look. _'No matter how much you stare at her I don't think it's going to work,' _I added, talking about his non-ability to read her mind and with a small bit of reluctance he turned back to us.

For the rest of the hour, it continued as normal. The small act of fun had helped to hold the worries at bay, though as the bell rang we didn't move even as the human filled out. We all were wondering what Edward would do. Would he go and sit by this girl for the full hour, or just skip out which there really wasn't a reason not to.

"I…think it's okay," Alice voiced hesitantly. "Your mind is set. I think you'll make it through the hour."

"Why push it, Edward?" Jasper asked, knowing how it felt better than all of us. "Go home. Take it slow."

"What's the big deal?" Noah shrugged. "Either he will or he won't kill her. Might as well get it over with, either way."

"I don't want move yet," Rose complained. "I don't want to start over. We're almost out of high school, Noah. Finally."

"I can stay close by," I offered hesitantly, if he should need me to stop him from doing something

"No, guys, I think it really will be okay," Alice said a lot more confidently. "It's…firming up. I'm ninety-three percent sure that nothing bad will happen if he goes to class." We all looked to Edward, waiting for his final decision.

"Go to class," He decided and pushed away from the table. Without a seconds hesitation he turned and walked away without looking back, leaving us all with mixed opinions, mine drifting more to worry for the family and how Edward would feel if this didn't go right.

I moved towards the gym a little cautiously with Emmett lagging beside; slower than what would be needed in order to stay near to Alice in case she should need me and then we could just race back to the Biology classroom, but time came that I had to go change. Though, almost as soon as I started to relax, in the middle of a match I saw Alice outside of the window. Quickly she gestured for me to come and purposely I missed the ball before making an excuse of going to the bathroom. Without changing, I zipped out the side door and moved a little faster than humanly possible to catch up to her.

"When?" I asked, because we both knew what was going on and I watched as she zoned out a little but then quickly grabbed my arm just as we were about to head into the building.

"It's changed, he pulled it back," She answered and both of us shared a small smile, glad we weren't going to have to do something, but stayed outside the door until the bell rang just a few minutes later so we didn't have far to go.

Once it did I could almost feel the worry leave my mind because if he could make it through this and keep the thirst under control he had made it over the crest. From now on it should only get easier to be around her, if he kept up his newer diet and even after a while he wouldn't even have to keep that up and that meant he would stay.

At the end of the hour, Noah and I separated, him going to meet Rose at her class while I just headed out to the parking lot with keys in hand. As I stepped out again the horrid sound of the decrepit truck attacked my senses again, including the new sound of squealing breaks and I looked over to see that Bella had almost run into the back of Erin Teague's car. Raising a brow to it, I just continued down and over to where we had parked only to see Edward there alone and watching the girl with an actual smile.

Quickly my slight amusement turned to confusion as I moved around the cars. He was actually watching her with interest, a smile, and even a laugh as she drove past him, and that look he was giving her was almost a ghost of the look I knew all so well because it was the look Emmett gave me all the time when he first woke up. It was almost infatuation.

Not wanting him to see it in my mind, I drove it to the back and locked it in the vault as I put a smile on my face. "What are you laughing at?" I questioned as I moved around the side, looking over the my car at him, wanting to see if he would say.

"Nothing," he quickly faded off and I just gave a small skeptical nod in response, but accidently let the image of the faded red truck pass in my thoughts. "It's nothing," he defended, catching it and again I gave the same nod as the others caught up.


	3. Chapter 3

I had heard them coming back towards the house from hunting and moved up to the windows to see just Carlisle start across the back yard and just knew it. I had thought that by making it through one simple class that everything would be fixed, but this was Edward he second guessed and reanalyzed everything. You could say that it was for good reason, I mean a human life hung in the balance, but it also led to him leading a life that was far from easy.

Pulling on my boots I started out, giving Carlisle a small smile as I did so and just started walking out to where he was sitting on a rock by the river. Silently, I moved around and the only movement that he made to me was scooting over on the rock. Likewise, I didn't say a word and just sat down, folding my hands in my lap as I looked out to the water which was just starting to get a thin layer of ice along the edge.

"Carlisle tell you?" He asked after a long silence.

"You're my blood, Edward. I don't need to be told when you're having a difficult time," I whispered. _"Are you leaving?" _I asked silently, not wanting anyone, especially Esme to pick up on it. Getting that aswell he just gave a small tilt of the head. _"I don't think you are." _I glanced over to him out of the corner of my eye.

"You don't understand, Gen," He sighed looking over to me.

"No, I do," I whispered. "I can see the pain you're going through. I understand, but I just think if you were going to go you would. If something weren't holding you here you'd go."

"Of course something's holding me here," he answered in a whisper and gestured back to the house.

Giving a small shake of the head, I looked to him fully. "Bella would be gone in two years. Just two years. That's nothing, a vacation almost and while yes it would hurt all of us we've all left for longer before." Pausing, I leaned in slightly, gripping his shoulder as I let the memory of the laugh I remembered him giving, just hours before in the school parking lot, through and whispered. "Something else is holding you here."

Looking down almost shamefully, I reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I don't need to be Alice to know you're at a crossroads here, Edward. Whichever way you go, I'm sure it will end perfectly fine, but you need to choose the one that makes you happy and not everyone else. Alright?" He didn't give an answer, just looking back out to the river but I could almost see the cogs going in his mind. Smiling slightly, I leaned over and hugged him slightly around the shoulders before hopping up. "_If you do decide to go, I'll miss you." _I sent off and without looking back started back up to the house.

That morning drive to school was a quiet one for me and I tried to stop my own preference for him to to stay here from leeching out but knew that it did, even if he didn't hear the thoughts. It seemed that Alice had picked up on it too because she was acting as down as I felt which lead to both Jasper and Emmett acting off as well. In fact the only ones in our entire family that seemed unphased were Noah and Rosalie because they were on a normal love cloud.

As both Edward and I pulled into spots, I instantly took notice of him looking around for her, even before he was fully out of the car and it perked my hopes a little. Though of course by the sound of the assaulting vehicle coming up the street it was easy to tell she wasn't, so instead he just leaned back on the car to wait. Both a bit worried and also wanting to give some sort of support, I walked around my car and leaned back on the hood, across from him.

Getting a confused look from Emmett I just nodded for him to go ahead and saw Alice do the same to Jasper before she leaned back beside me. Only moments later the girl came into the parking lot exceptionally cautious as most human were today because of the ice coating the road. She parked not too far down the row from us and out of my peripherals I watched as she clumsily got out of her truck but kept my attention mostly on Edward. He smiled again as he watched her slip around to the back of her truck.

"No!" Alice suddenly gasped and I quickly looked over to her and then to Edward, watching the exchange of thoughts but didn't even have the time to ask what as there was a shrill scream of tires at the entrance to parking lot. Whipping around to look at it my eyes connected to Tyler Crowley's van screeching around the corner and instantly I figured out what it had been about. Turning my head back to the girl that was in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time, I watched as Edward closed the distance, throwing himself between her and the van.

Instantly, one word came to my mind as I looked to the colliding vehicles, "shit." I just knew that the sound of screeching metal was undoubtingly Edward stopping the van for the most part. Reaching up, I covered my mouth as the van rocked violently and then smashed back to the ground, all the windows shattering.

Instantly my mind started racing with the thoughts of moving as screams just started shouting and both Alice and I moved around the cars to try and get there but were instantly cut off as everyone started rushing forward.

Maybe she didn't see anything, she could have possibly passed out or something. Then again I could also try to compel her to forget, but that never truly worked for the long term purpose. I mean when we went through a curious phase awhile ago and I had compelled Emmett to forget about reading a book but slowly he had remembered it and it only took just over a year. Maybe that was just vampires though, maybe it would work better on humans. But what if it didn't even work on her? I mean Edward couldn't read her mind.

Wide eyed, I dropped my hand finally looked to Alice beside me and she just stared back for a small moment before we looked back to the scene which was now being crowded by bodies. The possibility for escape was gone now, everyone knew that Edward was there and now it was just going to come down to hiding any evidence.

Sirens wailed in the distance and my anxiety built a bit more just as Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Noah stepped out with the stream of others coming to investigate. Quickly they all moved over to us, obviously catching the missing member.

"Where's Edward?" Emmett was the first to actually get out the words.

"There," I motioned and once again we all turned to the sandwiched vehicles which had people crawling all over.

Taking a deep, unneeded breath, I watched as two ambulances pulled in and a fire rescue truck, clearing people away from the scene. Quickly they took Tyler away setting him in the first ambulance, then got to work on separating the van and truck. Finally, after six EMT's and both and Coach Clapp joined in, they got it apart and I listened closely as Brett Warner, a RN for the hospital moved into the space.

"Hey, Edward. You okay, kid?" He asked.

"Perfect, Brett. Nothing touched me. But I'm afraid Bella here might have a concussion. She really hit her head when I yanked her out of the way…" He answered.

She didn't speak though except to try and refuse the treatment but didn't get out of it as Edward had and was put onto a stretcher. Using everyone's distraction with an embarrassed Bella to use, Edward swiftly and quietly got rid of the evidence in the neighboring tan car with his foot before hopping into the front of the ambulance.

Just as they were about to get Bella in the back of the ambulance the police cruiser came racing into the crowded parking lot. "Bella!" Charlie Swan shouted as he raced towards his only daughter.

"I'm completely fine, Char-Dad," She sighed. "There's nothing wrong with me." Once again her pleas did nothing, as they had done nothing to the EMTs and he instantly demanded more information from the closest one. Soon after that they had loaded her in and were off to the hospital.

"Go," I whispered over to Emmett, taking advantage of the fact that everyone was preoccupied with crowd control, taking statements and now also Charlie Swan. He moved forward the few feet and discreetly popped out a few more dents and created more before slipping back to us.

After giving our my own small statement with Alice, having been seen by someone else at the time that it happen we were comforted, especially me and then sent on ours. The first half of the day mostly was filled by gossip from those that hadn't taken the chance to skip and go to the hospital, then it shifted by the period after lunch when Edward reappeared. It was probably wise too because that way he missed going to lunch with Rosalie who was about as angry as I had seen her be in a long while, but compared that was probably better than Jasper who had come to a sort of conclusion.

Home was not going to be a peaceful place tonight by far.

As we all gathered at the cars the poor humans just mere feet away were totally unaware of the silent war going on in the circle around the Volvo. Edward was concentration on something as Alice looked to the future and just by taking in the tension and look on her face it wasn't hard to guess that it had something to do with Jasper. "Let's go," I didn't suggest but demanded and we all shifted around with Noah forcing Rosalie who was shooting daggers at Edward in the back of my car. Smoothly Alice and Jasper slid into the back of the Volvo and Emmett moved into my passenger seat, just leaving the two off us. '_You better be prepared for the possible outcome here,' _I thought as I sent him a look and while he didn't reply I could see that he truly wasn't which scared me a bit. Taking a deep breath, I slid into the tense car and set off back home ahead of Edward.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry for not updating in such a long time, as usual life has caught up in the form of finals and trying to memorize months worth of information once again for a test. I don't want to promise of course to do better with summer courses coming up (and everyone says those are hard) but I really will try to do better. Thank you everyone for reading.**

* * *

Without a word, as we got home we filed into the dining room. Carlisle, who was thankfully home already from work sat at his usual spot, head of the long oval table, and Esme took her spot beside. Both linked hands on top of the table as Edward to his spot on Carlisle's other side and I didn't even have to think before sitting on his other side.

Glancing to the side, I took in Carlisle's expression. The lips pressed tightly together, the forehead crease, it was only an expression reserved for the most stressful situations and my nervousness rose. Reaching over, Emmett took my hand as he settled into the seat beside me. Rosalie drew the line which we all knew was coming as she sat directly opposite Carlisle and even if he had already forgiven Edward, Noah wouldn't betray her and sat in the seat beside. The last two to walk in, Jasper hesitated as he looked to the sides then moved behind Rosalie, standing against the wall as Alice walked in with her eyes scanning the future but without even pausing, sat across from me.

Taking in a deep breath, I glanced over to him as he spoke. "I'm sorry." He looked to the other side of the table, to Rose, Noah and Jasper. "I didn't mean to put any of you at risk. It was thoughtless and I take full responsibility for my hasty action."

"What do you mean, 'take full responsibility'? Are you going to fix it?" Rose glared menacingly.

"Not the way you mean," He retorted, "I'm willing to leave now, if that makes things better."

"No," Esme murmured. "No Edward."

Reaching over, he patted her hand, "it's just a few years."

"Esme's right though," Emmett voiced. "You can't go anywhere now. That would be the opposite of helpful. We have to know what people are thinking now more than ever."

"Alice will catch anything major," Edward disagreed.

Quickly Carlisle shook his head. "I think Emmett is right, Edward. The girl will be more likely to talk if you disappear. It's all of us leave, or none of us."

"She won't say anything," He insisted to which I just shook my head.

"How do you know that? You don't know her mind," I pointed out.

"I know this much. Alice, back me up," He responded and we all looked over to her only to see her eyeing him wearily.

"I can't see what will happen if we just ignore this," She answered and glanced to Rose and Jasper.

Reaching her boiling point, Rosalie smacked her hand down on the table. "We can't allow the human a chance to say anything. Carlisle, you must see that. Even if we all disappeared, it's not safe to leave stories behind us. We live so differently from the rest of our kind-you know that there are those who would love an excuse to point fingers. We have to be more careful than anyone else!"

"We've left rumors behind us before," Edward reminded what all of us knew.

"Just rumors and suspicion Edward. Not eyewitnesses and evidence!" She rebutted and I cringed slightly at the wording.

"Evidence!" Edward immediately scoffed.

"Rose," Carlisle began

"Let me finish, Carlisle. It doesn't have to be any big production. The girl hit her head today. So maybe that injury turns out to be more serious than it looked." She actually shrugged. "Every mortal goes to sleep with the chance of never waking up. The others would expect us to clean up after ourselves. Technically, that would make it Edward's job, but this is obviously beyond him. You know I'm capable of control. I would leave no evidence behind me."

"Yes, Rosalie, we all know how proficient an assassin you are," Edward snarled and she hissed right back.

"Edward, please," Carlisle stopped it then looked to her. "Rosalie, I looked the other way in Rochester because I felt that you were owed your justice. The men you killed had wronged you monstrously. This is not the same situation. The Swan girl is an innocent."

"It's not personal, Carlisle," Rose spoke through gritted teeth. "It's to protect us all."

We all paused and looked to Carlisle as he thought over his answer and while he nodded, it was easy to see that it wasn't for the reason Rose was hoping. "I know you mean well, Rosalie, but…I'd like very much for our family to be worth protecting. The occasional…accident or lapse in control is a regrettable part of who we are. To murder a blameless child in cold blood is another thing entirely. I believe the risk she presents, whether she speaks her suspicions or not, is nothing to greater risk. If we make exceptions to protect ourselves, we risk something much more important. We risk losing the essence of who we are."

"It's just being responsible," She scowled.

"There's a difference between being responsible and just being plain callous," I retorted with a straight face.

Heaving a sigh, she pouted and Noah reached over and patted her shoulder. "It'll be fine, Rose."

"The question is whether we should move on?" Carlisle continued.

"No," Rose moaned. "We just got settled. I don't want to start on my sophomore year in high school again!"

"You could keep your present age, of course." He amended.

"And have to move again that much sooner," She countered only to receive a shrug. "I like it here! There's so little sun, we get to almost be normal."

"Well, we certainly don't have to decide now. We can wait and see if it becomes necessary. Edward seems certain of the Swan girl's silence," "He suggested.

She just snorted in reply but it was easy to see that she had relented and while she might never like it, she would go with Carlisle on his decision but still one factor remained.

"Jasper," Edward addressed after a pause, "she won't pay for my mistake. I won't allow that."

"She benefits from it then? She should have died today, Edward. I would only set it right," He countered.

"I will not allow that," Edward hardened, surprising Jasper.

He shook his head once. "I won't let Alice live in danger, even a slight danger. You don't feel about anyone the way I feel about her, Edward, and you haven't lived through what I have lived through, whether you've seen my memories or not. You don't understand."

"I'm not disputing that Jasper," Edward answered. "But I'm telling you now that I will not let you hurt Isabella Swan." The tension built slightly as they just stared at each other, but it was worse than a glare. They were each taking in the opposition.

"Jazz," Alice interrupted and Jasper flicked his eyes to her.

"Don't bother telling me you can protect yourself, Alice. I already know that. I've still got to…"

"That's not what I was going to say," She interrupted. "I was going to ask you for another favor." I heard a quick gasp from Edward and glanced over to him cautiously, wondering what else could possibly happen. "I know you love me. Thanks. But I would really appreciate it if you didn't try to kill Bella. First of all Edward's serious and I don't want you to fighting. Secondly she's my friend. At least she's going to be."

"But…Alice…" Jasper gasped and I raised an eyebrow at the vision.

"I'm going to love her someday, Jazz. I'm going to be very put out with you if you don't let her be."

Suddenly she was far more happy, "Ah, see? Bella's not going to say anything. There's nothing to worry about."

"Alice," Edward choked out. "What…does this…?"

"I told you there was a change coming. I don't know, Edward." Quickly she locked her jaw, a maneuver that she usually did when trying to keep something a secret.

"What are you hiding?" I asked curiously, leaning forward on the table and I heard Emmett grumble over to the side not liking to be left out of the loop. She didn't reply, just shaking her head.

"Is it about that girl?" Edward demanded. "Is it about Bella?" She locked on, trying to concentrate even more but evidentially he didn't work completely causing Edward catching something.

"NO!" He shouted and jumped up, his chair banging to the floor.

"Edward!" Carlisle jumped to his feet just as quickly, putting his arm on Edward's shoulder.

"It's solidifying," Alice whispered and I furrowed my brows in confusion as I looked between them. "Every minute you're more decided. There're really only two ways left for her. It's one or the other, Edward."

"No," he repeated quieter and stooped over, leaning on the table.

"Will somebody please let the rest of us in on the mystery?" Noah complained.

"I have to leave," Edward whispered.

"Edward, we've already been over that," Emmett pointed out. "That's the best way to start the girl talking. Besides, if you take off, we won't know for sure if she's talking or not. You have to stay and deal with this."

"I don't see you going anywhere, Edward," Alice spoke, looking up to him. "I don't know if you can leave anymore." She added and it just sort of clicked. Everything that I had seen, everything to the laugh, to him saving her, to her and Alice becoming friends, it just clicked and I had to restrain the gasp as I pressed my lips together.

"Why are you doing this to me," he groaned as he fell back into his seat and put his head in his hands. "Love her, too?" he whispered incredulously and Alice sighed. He shook his head to something after a silent exchange. "No," He rebutted, "I don't have to follow that course, I'll leave. I will change the future."

"You can try." Alice said skeptically.

"Oh come ON!" Emmett shouted in frustration.

"He's going to fall for her," I spoke up.

"How classically, Edward," Rose gagged and I shot her a look.

"What?" Emmett questioned, startled then let out a loud laugh. "Is that what's been going on?" He laughed again. "Tough break, Edward." Switching my look to him, I reached over and smacked him hard on the arm.

"Fall for a human?" Esme asked in a stunned voice. "For the girl he saved today? Fall in love with her?"

"What do you see, Alice? Exactly," Jasper demanded and we all looked to her.

"It all depends on whether he's strong enough or not. Either he'll kill her himself…" She turned, glaring at Edward. "Which would really irritate me Edward, not to mention what it would do to you…or she'll be one of us one someday."

Esme gasped out as my jaw dropped, but none of those reactions were compared to Edward as he shot over of his chair again, shouting. "That's not going to happen! Either one!"

"It all depends," Alice repeated, not paying attention to him. "He may be just strong enough not to kill her, but it will be close. It will take an amazing amount of control. More even than Carlisle has. He may be just strong enough. The only thing he's not strong enough to do is stay away from her. That's a lost cause."

No one made a noise as we all just turned to Edward, taking in the horrified look and truthfully I had no idea what to think. It was just so…unconventional I guess. All of us except Alice and Jasper had found someone that was already dying, but never had we even thought about this. If she did live then that would mean dating your food essentially which…well this whole thing was a bit weird.

"Well," Carlisle sighed after a long moment, "this…complicates things."

"I'll say," Noah agreed, close to laughter much like Emmett was but after the last comment he wouldn't dare, because the likelihood of him even coming into the bedroom was unlikely for a very long time.

"I suppose the plans remain the same, though," Carlisle continued. "We'll stay, and watch. Obviously, no one will…hurt the girl."

"No," Jasper said quietly. "I can agree to that. If Alice sees only two ways—"

"No!" Edward cut him off in a mixture of a shout and cry. "No!" Without another word he turned and walked out of the room and running out the back door into the rain. We all paused and listened as he took off into the forest.

"Is everyone in agreement?" Carlisle spoke as his footsteps faded into the distance. "We'll stay, and watch?" He repeated and was met with nods of agreement.

Hours later, I found myself in Emmett's and my room with little else to do but think about what the next day would bring. To try and take my mind off of the fact that Edward still hadn't come home I had begun a sketch, but what sat in front of my was far from finished as I sat on the couch and looked out the window to the back yard. Tossing it and the pencil to the ground, I just pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my chin on them.

I was more than worried for him, not because of his self-control persay but why this was going to do to him. He obviously had feelings for this human, not quite developed yet but since he hadn't looked twice to a girl in say about 107 years he felt something for her. And, while Alice's visions could change something had caused that outsome. But if he did go down that path, what would it lead to for him and also the family. I could imagine him turning her and committing her to this life based on his thoughts, but really what reasonably choice was there, other than that. Then there was the other path, which if he did have these feelings it would only to destruction.

"Two paths headed towards one outcome," I whispered to myself.

"What?" Emmett asked curiously as he moved in through the doorway.

"Neither the whole love thing or her dying seem to lead to something good," I answered sadly and giving his own small worried frown he sat down on the other side.

"The whole love thing?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow and restraining an eye roll I just nodded. "He'd have someone."

"Yes, but we all know Edward's outlook of being a vampire," I murmured. "And if he loved someone, I don't imagine he'd want them to give up their soul."

"Come here," He sighed slightly and didn't wait for me and instead just reached over and pulled me onto his lap. Settling back, I laid my head on his shoulder wish this was one of those times that I could fall asleep just to forget everything for a couple hours. Wrapping his arms around my waist he gave a small smile and leaned in for a small kiss. "I'm sure everything will work out fine in the end," He whispered against my lips.

"Ever the optimist," I teased slightly and his smile widened.

"You just watch."


	5. Chapter 5

He tried, Edward did, to avoid her. He tried with all his might not to pay attention to her. Pretend like he didn't care. But, you could see it. When we sat at the lunch table and his eyes would automatically start to flick to her, Alice having told us when she would look at us or maybe from catching someone's thought, but he would pull it back. Attempt to make one more move up that steep hill he was trying to climb and it wasn't even a good step because you—or I –could see him focus in on someone's thoughts. It was in those times that Alice and I would exchange a glance, and her visions would slip a little closer to her joining the family.

She was desperate for this future to turn out and constantly berated him to just give up because if she was off limits to Edward, then she was off limits to us all and Alice wanted the friend she had seen. If it didn't torture him so much, I would have found it funny. How he developed these jealousies against human boys; Mike Newton taking the brunt of it. And the amount of frustration he had at the aspect of her actually ignoring him in return.

Then we started to really get hopeful as the girl's choice dance came up; of course we weren't stupid enough to actually think that Edward would ask her. But the way he went about entertaining himself that day was top entertainment for Alice and I.

First it started out with Mike Newton, him wanting Bella to ask him, even though Jessica Stanley had already asked him. Then his demise as she kindly told him that he should accept Jessica with the excuse of going to Seattle that day. Something must have cracked because of that too, because by Alice's records he actually talked to her. Now it was only to tell her they shouldn't talk and not calm her, well, baseless theory that he regretted saving her. But anyone, especially me as I passed him in the hall, could see the change after that. He actually looked almost playful.

Then it got a bit more desperate with Eric Yorkie lying in wait at her truck, though this one was all the more entertaining because I got to watch it.

I moved out of the school and just saw Emmett standing there at the front. "What are you doing?" I asked him in confusion as I linked my hand with his.

"Edward told me to wait for you guys," He shrugged but never one to obey my brother of all things, I started forward only to fall behind Bella of all people as she exited gym. Walking at a pace to fall a few more steps behind, I glanced over to the side just to see Edward move out of her eyesight and raised an eyebrow to him before pausing at the bottom of the stairs and leaned back against the railing as he took my place, walking behind her. I'm not quite sure that he noticed me there however; his attention was all on the Swan girl as she walked towards her truck with Eric Yorkie standing beside it nervously.

With a friendly exchange he ended up asking her to the girls dance, even though it was already going around school that she had turned down Mike. And just like Mike, she shot him down by saying she was going to Seattle. And he actually laughed, Edward laughed as he passed though I wasn't quite sure if it was because of Bella's frustration, Eric's embarrassment, or the next contestant running past me at the moment to get to what he wanted as a prize. But if Edward laughing wasn't entertainment enough to me, what he did now was a golden ticket show and the others were there to watch as well as they joined me at the bottom of the stairs and saw him pull out the Volvo of the space and block her off from exiting.

"What is he doing?" Rose seethed and I just shook my head slightly, but gave a small smile and glance to Alice who also had one.

Poor, poor, Tyler who didn't seem to be able to read a girl at all and pulled into the line behind her, waved frantically in order to catch her attention but she was too preoccupied in glowering at my brother. When the waving didn't work he took too plan B and actually got out of his car and walked up to hers, tapping on the window. From there it just went down in embarrassment, worse than Eric's and he moved back to his car as we arrived to Edward rocking in laughter.

"Can we just go!" Rosalie hissed impatiently as we passed by the Volvo. "And stop being an idiot. If you can," She threw a glare over her shoulder at Edward still shaking with laughter as Bella revved her engine.

Giving a small shake of the head, I just let out a small smile and slid into the driver's seat before pulling out of the space and took off with him following behind. Taking the hairpin turn right after each other, we both pulled into the garage within milliseconds of each other.

"Enjoy your Run," Rosalie said smugly to Edward as he threw himself out of the car, talking about his daily run to somewhere as the rest of us headed inside.

He didn't come home that night, but I just knew from both Alice and my own instincts that it wasn't something to worry about. So, with the thought that he would join us at school, I got dressed with Emmett before setting off with the others, Alice driving the Volvo.

When we arrived at Calculus, he was actually smiling and not in an I just frustrated her sort of smile, but and actual true smile.

"_What happened to you?"_ I asked mentally as he took his seat beside me, but he just shook his head in response. I didn't push it either, because the fact that he was happy was good enough, but my hope was that he had given in finally. Maybe, just maybe he was closer to coming out of that morose teenager phase he had been in for so long.

Then lunch came and it was easy to tell that he had given into the hill and was freely falling as we all walked in and saw him sitting at a normally empty table. Walking past, I casted a grin and _"be nice" _ to him before moving towards my normal seat and commencing in making my normal masterpiece out of the salad, though kept my eyes on the table when Bella walked in with Jessica Stanley.

She stumbled her way across to him after he motioned her over and I restrained a small laugh as they sat awkwardly across from each other at the small table, Emmett beside me didn't so much and let out a chuckle.

"Shush," I hit his stomach, "I'm trying to listen."

"This is different," She finally spoke into the silence.

"Well," Edward hesitated. "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

Giving an eye roll and a grin I leaned back as Emmett put an arm around my shoulders and I continued to listen to their banter. She seemed to like him too, despite how he annoyed her and despite the fact that she thought he was some sort of superhero, another thing that made both Noah and Emmett chuckle and I promptly kicked Noah's shin and hit Emmett's stomach again. And while Edward played his mysterious warning card yet again she just pretty much ignored him until the end as we all set off and left him and her there.

By the time I saw him again it was by the cars and caught Emmett just as he was heading down the steps alone. Automatically getting a smile as I always did and with my worries about Edward fading. I skipped up beside him and slid my hand into his. "Hey, Honey," he smiled down at me.

"Where's Edward?" I asked curiously. I mean I knew that he was skipping Biology as Alice had this morning, because of blood typing, but it was a little weird that he hadn't gone to Spanish.

"Skipped again," He said and both of us looked out to the Volvo where he was sitting and totally oblivious. With a mischievous grin, Emmett moved forward and hit the driver's side window making him jump.

Turning his attention to us, he slid down the window. "I'll bet Mrs. Goff thinks you're on drugs, you've been so erratic lately. Where were you today?" Emmett asked.

"I was…doing good deeds." He answered and I furrowed my brows in confusion. "Caring for the sick, that kind of thing." Just then as he moved in the car, the as I inhaled I caught the smell that was basically permeating the car.

"Bella?" I asked with a grin.

Catching it, Emmett inhaled as well. "That girl again?" he asked and Edward grimaced.

"Tell me about it," he mumbled after no doubt catching one of Emmett's thoughts.

Emmett inhaled once again. "Hmm, she does have quite a flavor, doesn't she?" He noted but instantly Edward broke out in a snarl making me raised an eyebrow. "Easy, kid, I'm just sayin."

"So where is she?" I asked, noting her truck just a few spaces down.

"Home, actually," He pulled a key out of his pocket. "Can you drive it there? I'll follow and pick you up."

"Sure," I took it, and handed my keys over to Emmett. "See you at home," I smiled to him and leaned up pecking him as we broke off, me heading over to the old truck just as the others started out, Alice with a smile.

Edward followed me to the Swan's residence where I parked in the driveway and then simply slipped into the Volvo and sped home. I tried not to bother him with my thoughts, and certainly didn't speak, just keeping up with my knowing smile.

As we moved into the house, I passed Rosalie and Noah—who were flipping through the channels—and moved towards Alice to see what current design she was working on for Rosalie's new wardrobe in between leaning around the corner to whisper Emmett's moves to Jasper as they played a game of complicated chess against the back wall. Tilting the touch screen up for me to see, I looked to the coat she was refining. "Maybe make the color a bit more muted," I volunteered and she clicked through the colors, toning down the pink print.

Just then I heard a sound I hadn't heard in a long time, a piano scale. Automatically a smile came to my face as he started to play and slowly Alice stood up as we both moved around the corner to see Edward sitting at the piano. Coming down from her blueprints, Esme flitted downstairs and stopped at the head of the stairs as he weaved the notes together, composing once again. Then suddenly it all stopped as he let out a sharp bark of a laugh that he cut off by clapping his hand over his mouth.

Instantly Esme flew downstairs, just as confused as the rest of us were and I moved out further, looking around, to see Rosalie glaring daggers at him.

"Don't stop, Edward," Esme encouraged after a moment as controlling his grin, he started playing again as Rose got to her feet and stalked out to the garage.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Noah called after her, but she didn't turn. "What's that about?" He looked to Edward, causing Edward to pause again.

"I don't have the faintest idea," He lied.

"Keep playing," Esme urged and he did as she asked, as she came up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "It's charming. Does it have a name?" She asked as he toyed with the bridge.

"Not yet," he answered.

"Is there a story to it?" She asked.

"It's…a lullaby, I suppose," he answered, getting the bridge just right and taking it easily into the next movement.

"A lullaby," She repeated as both Alice and I moved up towards the piano I slid down on the bench beside him as she moved up to the side and started singing out a beautiful harmony two octaves higher than the melody.

"I like it," Edward murmured. "But how about this?" He wove her harmony into the music and perfectly she caught on and sung along. "Yes. Perfect." Slowly the music wound down, moving slower and lower, with Alice's voice following him and my smile faded slightly into a sad one as he finished off the last note and bowed his head over the keys.

Reaching forward, Esme brushed back his hair, saying something through her thoughts to which he gave a "thanks" before a laugh. Then with another few thoughts from Esme and a smile he said. "Stop it, Mom, you're making me blush."

Letting out a laugh with Alice, I positioned my hands over the keys and picked up the top hand of "Heart and Soul" something we had been doing since he was about 7; allowing for a bit of improvisation on our parts and entered into a duet on "Chopsticks".

Alice gave a giggle as we finished and looked to Edward. "So I wish you'd tell me what you were laughing at Rose about. But I can see that you won't."

"Nope," He answered and she reached forward, flicking his ear.

"Be nice, Alice," Esme chided. "Edward is being a gentleman."

"But I want to know," She whined causing both Edward and I to laugh before Edward started in on our mothers favorite song. "Here, Esme."

"Thank you, dear," She squeezed his shoulders and I looked up to see Alice zone out briefly before coming back with a wide smile.

"Oh! Jasper, guess what?" Her vision made Edward's fingers freeze over the keys.

"What, Alice?" He asked back.

"Peter and Charlotte are coming to visit next week! They're going to be in the neighborhood, isn't that nice?"

"What's wrong, Edward?" Esme asked.

"Peter and Charlotte are coming to Forks?" He hissed to Alice, and truly I didn't see why. I mean Peter and Charlotte could be a little rough around the edges. The typical nomads, but Jasper's old friends were nice.

"Calm down, Edward. It's not their first visit," I muttered as his teeth clenched together.

"They never hunt here. You know that," Alice pointed out with a frown, meaning to calm his obvious fear about Bella. But really it was an unnecessary one.

"When?" He demanded and she pursed her lips unhappily, answering through thoughts. "No," he agreed with something then turned away. "You ready, Emmett?" He called.

"I thought we were leaving in the morning?" he asked.

"We're coming back midnight Sunday. I guess it's up to you when you want to leave."

"Okay, fine," He answered moving around the corner, looking to Edward and exchanging something.

"I suppose I have," Edward answered.

"Play the new song for me, one more time," Esme asked.

He agreed, "if you'd like that." He turned around and then brought a bottle cap that was very familiar from lunch out of his pocket and put it on the music stand before starting to play. With a small smile, I glanced to both Alice and Esme, but none of us mentioned Bella's bottle cap as he continued playing.


	6. Chapter 6

"Come here, you," Emmett growled as he reached over and pulled me across the bed by my waist. Letting out a giggle, I rolled over onto my back as he hovered over me and reached up linking my fingers behind his neck. To say that we were taking advantage of Edward being preoccupied by Bella was an understatement. It didn't really matter about anyone hearing because after this long, and hearing everyone in there little private moments…well they were no longer private. But, for good reason Edward didn't so much like Emmett's thoughts at these times, so while he was busy spying on Bella sleeping before Peter and Charlotte were here he was taking every moment he could to please me in all the ways I loved.

Pulling him down into a kiss, I savored the taste of him as his hands roamed over my bare body right as the second most annoying member of the family sent a shout around the house. "They're almost here!"

"We could ignore her," Emmett whispered as he trailed a kiss down over my jaw line and nipped at my neck, causing me to arch back up and pull him closer.

"That'd be rude," I started to whisper out, but it turned into more of a moan.

"To Alice or to Peter and Charlotte," He smirked and just shaking my head with a small giggle, I got an idea.

"Let's kill two birds with one stone," I breathed into his ear and pushed him off. Hurrying over to the side of the bed, I looked back to see him still with a smirk as his eyes roamed over my body. Savoring in the feeling, I gave my own smirk before walking to the bathroom. "Come on," I purred from the doorway and flipping his smirk into a smile he jumped out of bed and rushed over. In a mixture of kisses and touches we turned on the shower and had out fun while washing up for company.

Regretfully, we had to end it sooner than I would have like and I moved out into the bathroom, drying my hair as Emmett moved back into the bedroom to get dress. Brushing out the waves, I moved back into the bedroom once I was done to see him in a pair of grey jeans and searching for a shirt.

"It's too bad that you ruined that shirt I got you, otherwise you probably could have worn it," I commented off hand as I passed me and grabbed pair of black jeaned, pulling them on.

"I said I was sorry," He frowned and grabbed for a light blue henley.

"Uh hum," I hummed I smirked slightly and grabbed a simple beige cami out of the drawer, slipping it on before layer the matching chiffon shirt over it. Catching that I wasn't mad about it, he leaned down and gave me a soft kiss as I tied the front of the shirt into a small knot. Right then, we both caught the sound of two pairs of feet running towards our house through the tree and quickly stooped down, grabbing a pair of gold flats as he tied on his own shoes and then ran downstairs right as Edward rushed into the house and up the stairs to change. Of course he wasn't the last either with both Noah and Rosalie now scrambling out of their own bed and getting dressed, all so the three of them wouldn't be bad hosts and disappoint Esme.

In record time they were dressed and waiting in the living room with us as Jasper answered the door. After hello's and hugs from both Alice and Esme they all moved in to the living room. Smiling to the petite blonde, I moved towards Charlotte and shared a small hug before saying hello to Peter. Looking to their eyes and the bright red hue, it was easy to see that they had fed recently and wouldn't feed again until they were at least out of the state, so Edward's worries were unnecessary.

That didn't stop him, however, from leaving just thirty minutes after they got there and though he didn't say it, it was amazing that it was just about when Bella would be leaving for school.

After chatting for about another hour, discussing what we had all been up to, the rest of us left and let Jasper enjoy his guests and with all the others moving back around the house and garage both Emmett and I moved outside.

Pushing off the edge of the river, I flipped over it and gripped onto a branch as he jumped over and landed below me. "Edward's acting so weird," He grumbled as I flipped around and stood up on the branch.

"Well, he's love struck," I grinned, looking down to him. "You weren't exactly sane either."

"I think I was perfectly sane," he remarked looking back up to me.

"You gave Esme a live rabbit," I laughed and he chuckled. "Plus, he's got it a bit harder than all of us."

"I don't know, you were pretty hard to crack," he teased.

"No, I just needed to train you before I let you win," I smirked down to me.

"Train me, huh?" He spoke; looking up to me and I gave a nod.

"Don't you remember our game?" I leapt onto another branch and without warning he punched the tree I was in just like he had that first time. Leaping across, I didn't even pause before taking off across the treetops. "You're still slower than me, Dear," I taunted just before jumping down onto the ground and facing him, I dropped down into a small crouch. Skidding to a halt about fifty yards away, he got that mischievous smirk and giving my own. "Come and get me."

Taking off in a sprint, he raised towards me and pushing off in a sprint, I ran towards him but just as I saw him going in for the grab I spun out of his grasp. Without wasting time, he spun around as I pushing off the ground and putting a hand on his shoulder I cartwheeled over him. But before I landed, he spun around, evidentially anticipating the move just like I did his and grabbed my leg, taking me to the ground. Knowing if he got me under him I would lose, I quickly planted my feet in his chest and kicked him away.

"I should at least get a point for taking you down," he laughed.

"Only the winner gets points," I smiled and took off running towards him again as he did the same but this time, when I usually jumped over him, like he thought I was going to do, I dropped into a skid, going under him. Leaping off the ground before he even got the chance to turn around, I crashed into his back and took him down. Straddling him, I quickly leaned in and kissed his neck, ending the fight before leaning up and smiling to him.

"You're the only person I'm fine losing to," He smiled back up to me as he took hold of my hips.

"That's because I trained you well," I teased and narrowing his eyes, he quickly flipped both of us over.

"Maybe I let you win," He smirked.

"That's not in your vocabulary," I giggled before leaning up and pressing a kiss to his lips.

oOo

The sun was just starting to go down as we both laid in the middle of Rainer Field when a football came hurling toward us, ending our alone time, though he had heard them coming for a while. Reaching up, Emmett caught it as I stood up looking to the large group, including Peter and Charlotte of course, but minus another.

"Edward?" I asked.

"I left him a note," Noah shrugged.

"Here," Rose tossed me a bag, "I brought you another shirt and some shoes."

"Thanks," I moved off to the side and quickly, pulled on the pair of converse along with the t-shirt to play football in. "So what are the teams?"

"Carlisle, Rose, Peter, Emmett, and Me, against you guys," Alice answered, making it partner against partner.

After flipping for the ball with our quarterbacks facing off, Carlisle and Esme, we ended up with the ball. And I was a bit glad we got Esme because while we were in other ways evenly matched up: Rose and I, Peter and Jasper, Emmett and Noah, Alice and Charlotte, Carlisle wouldn't tackle Esme. Though, on the other hand she wouldn't tackle anyone, but that was still enough of an edge to put us ahead by two touchdowns by the end of the game.

When we got home, all a bit muddy I moved in and looked to the note that Noah had left. "Well he came home," I answered as I looked to the neat, 'sorry' scrawled under Noah's and it seemed to pick Esme's mood up, since she had been worried after he didn't come out.

Letting Charlotte use our shower to clean off as Peter used Alice and Jasper's, I moved out onto the deck and hopped up on the railing since Esme would have a cow if I sat on the couch in my state. Walking out, Alice hopped up beside me, giving a wide smile.

"I'm guessing that it means it's close," I said, talking about when she would finally get to talk to Bella.

"I don't know, he keeps it hidden, but it's heading there," She answered.

"Then he's doing alright, right?" I frowned slightly and she paused for a moment, before giving a nod.

"He's going to Port Angeles tomorrow to spy on her," She smiled and giving a small chuckle, I just shook my head at his ways.

We didn't see him until later that night when he came to get his car for the drive there but was still hardly there, just giving a mumble in reply to me and Emmett's hello's as he passed through the front room, where we were all gathered and towards the piano. Giving a shrug to it, I moved back down the hallway towards my own sort of office and got back to work on the painting I was working on just like everyone else did, going their own way until Peter and Charlotte prepared to leave.

Moving out, to the entryway, I hugged Charlotte goodbye and smiled to Peter before stepping back for the others and leaned back against the stairwell.

"If you see Maria again tell her I wish he well," Jasper talked about both his creator and a very unpleasant guest that the one time she had visited in Calgary we had been forced to move immediately.

"I don't imagine that will happen soon," Peter laughed, "but should it happen, I certainly will."

They shook hand and for the second time in the two days that they had been here, Edward spoke to them. "Charlotte, Peter," he nodded from the entryway into his piano room.

"It was nice to see you again, Edward," Charlotte spoke uncertainly as Peter just nodded in return. And with an eye roll aimed to my brother, I watched our guests leave towards Seattle and only about thirty minutes later we was out the door again, heading towards Bella.

A couple hours later, as I sat in the living room with Rose and Alice watching TV, Alice suddenly jumped up and rushed out to the garage, pulling out her phone. "Alice?" Jasper asked, looking up from the chess game with Noah, but just guessing that it had something to do with Edward I stood up and moved after her.

"What's up?" I asked, just as she closed it and looking around, she scanned for something before finding in the front of my car and reached in, grabbing Emmett's notebook, and wrote out that she had seen Bella being attacked by some guys, but that Edward had gotten there. Quickly I wrote back if he was alright and she nodded, though neither of us went inside and just moved out to sit on the porch and for the next couple hours we wrote back and forth when she suddenly saw something that would change everything forever.

Bella knows about us.


	7. Chapter 7

_I'm very sorry about not writing or updating lately. Things have just piled onto an already long list. First being summer finals, then I had to have surgery on my arm and I was recovering back at home in the country where internet is very slow and intermittent._

_Now I'm giving all you faithful readers a short chapter that's not that great but after so long I didn't want you to keep waiting. But, I promise next time it will pick back up and that I'll maintain my sort of regular schedule. _

_Thank you all._

oOo

"Gen," Edward poked his head in the closet as I pulled a light grey blazer off the hanger to wear over my dress and tights, "can I borrow a coat from you."

"For what?" I asked skeptically and he paused slightly before mouthing, 'Bella'. "Use one of your own," I started then finished with, 'then if you wear it the smell won't be as strong' in his mind and watched his eyes light up slightly.

"Thanks, see you at school," He grinned then started out. He was a lot cheerier for sure today, after the secrets of last night, something that only Carlisle, Alice, and I knew, though I'm sure Carlisle told Esme somehow.

"What's going on?" Emmett asked as he looked in and grabbing a pair of boots I just shook my head slightly and moved over to him.

"I'm sure everything will be out in the open after today," I grinned and leaned up pecking his lips.

"Gen," he growled slightly, wrapping an arm around my waist just as the Volvo took off out of the garage.

"Patience, Dear," I whispered and wrinkling his nose at one of the foulest words in his dictionary, he leaned down kissing me softly before we all continued getting ready before setting off to school.

Attracting more attention than usual as we pulled into the parking lot, thanks to Rosalie's M3, we all got out and I noticed that Edward wasn't here yet. "He'll be here in a few moments," Alice whispered to me and nodding, I moved to the back.

"I'm gonna wait here for him," I spoke to Emmett and nodded he started in with the others as I leaned back against the railing up the stairs and only had to wait for a few seconds until he drove in the parking lot with Bella in the passenger's seat. Unable to help it, I quirked a small smile as I watched them get out, and though Edward moved to open her door like a gentleman she didn't let him get around before stepping out.

'The extra speed might be good to use just to make sure she doesn't trip getting out,' I spoke to him and caught his eyes flick from the car and up to me as they started walking towards me. Instantly he gave a slight nod and glare to me, causing Bella to take notice as well. I gave a small wave to both of them and started towards the school, passing by Jessica Stanley who was about to have a stroke by the look of it as she watched them walk up.

When I got to Calculus, I just settled back in my seat and waited for him to come in. 'So, how was it?' I asked right as he turned the corner, seeing him carrying the jacket she had on and he gave a slight hug before pulling it on and while he tensed up slightly, I was impressed by how well he was taking the scent. I mean I was surrounded by humans and could even smell her scent above the others, and it was a secondary one.

By the time class had started he was completely zoned out, an expression I recognized and meant he was looking through someone's thoughts and since he couldn't do it with Bella it obviously was someone close to her. Then he got a wide smile and I watched Rob Sawyer that sat on his other side flinch.

'Okay, Edward, I know your happy but your freaking out the locals,' I spoke to him and he gave a small, chuckle but thankfully calmed it down.

By the time class had ended he hadn't broken concentration once and hardly did as we started out of class. 'I wouldn't make it so obvious, as well. Rose is already suspicious and honestly I would prefer to be clear of her path when she does blow. Yeah?' I spoke to him as we moved to go separate ways.

"Yeah, all right," he answered quietly and gave a small nod as I turned to join the certain sister in French.

"What was he thinking coming here today with her," She immediately assaulted me, hardly even whispering and not really knowing what to say right now, I just gave a shrug which earned me a glare.

"Everything's fine," I tried to stop her assault on me.

"No, it's not," She muttered and flipped back around as I settled into my seat. I knew that a small part of Rosalie was jealous, as she always was of pretty girls, but I also knew that a good portion of her dislike of Bella was because she wanted to protect the family. The longer and deeper that this relationship got, meant more danger for us, especially in the case that it should end badly.

By the time that the class had ended, she hadn't said another word to me and we both silently went off towards our next classes, mine of which was thankfully with Jasper. He might not like Bella either, nor Edward's decision this morning so he sort of gave me the cold shoulder but it was better than a glare and we suffered through Chemistry together.

By the time that Lunch came around, I was almost hopeful that it might all just come out and walked in with the others to see Edward already sitting with Bella at the table they had sat at last week. And wanting to give them a bit of privacy I worked to block out the conversation that I desperately wanted to listen in on. After all he would do the same for me, though being the self-admitted nosey big sister I should have the right to.

Obviously, though, another had been paying close attention because suddenly I caught Rose tense out of the corner of my eye. "What is going on?" She growled quietly and I flicked my eyes up to Alice. I mean, she was sitting the furthest away, she should tell. If I told, I'd like have a broken and crushed arm or something.

"Bella knows about us," She whispered and I set a seemingly casual hand on her shoulder as Noah put his arm around her shoulders but both of us were holding her back as she glared daggers at Edward.

"Easy, Rose," Noah whispered.

'I'd hide the Aston Martin,' I spoke to Edward, talking about his favorite car.

Forcing Rose, so her back was flush against the chair, I shot her a look and only once the glare subsided did I drop my hand, though Noah kept his arm around her as we went back to our 'normal' lunch. I could tell just by how tense she was that she was still fuming but at least she had the front back up which was all I cared about at the moment. Out of any of us, she was the most preoccupied with keeping that up and appearing human so that meant that everything was fine until school let out.

After a few more minutes, I stood up, glancing around to the others and we all filed out to head to our next classes.

Stepping into the gym after changing, I just shook my head slightly as I moved up to Emmett and giving a grin, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "She's gonna cause a war," I whispered.

"Nah, everything with be fine," He murmured optimistically as he rubbed my upper arm comfortingly and I leaned into his side until Coach Clapp yelled at us to pair up for badminton and Emmett stifled a groan. He much preferred solitary things like running or even track type things, not because of having to have a partner, but having to play against people.

Moving around, we were teamed up again Brenden Morris and Alec Tompson who didn't seem to be any more excited to be teamed up against us. Mostly we just stood on the same spots and using the least amount of strength possible tapped the birdie back to the team. Honestly I hated badminton; it was worse than all the other sports we had to partake in; trapped in a tiny square, tapping a birdie back and forth. Even the other team hardly moved around. Unfortunately Coach Clapp seemed to be uncharacteristically cheerful and ordered us to. Finally the torture was over and we were allowed to go and change.

After I got changed and said goodbye to Emmett, I moved off towards English with Noah to finish out the day and even he was a little tense with what was to come.

When we all got out to the cars, Edward was already gone and quickly enough the guys surrounding Rose's car dispersed enough for us to leave.


End file.
